Switch for direction indicators



, ,585,651' H. T. CQLTCJN SWITCH FOR DIRECTION UIDCATORSu Original Filed March 24, 1924 lill' hoth of the views:

T. COLTUN, 0F IGfLAKE, WASHHGTGN.

Application filed March 2e, 1924, Serial No. 701,556. Renewed detener 20, 1925.

This invention relates generally to direc'- tion indicators for vehicles of the electrical type, and particularly those comprising a pair of electrical signal members to indicate the intentions of the driver to make n right or left hund turn, the invention having specilic reference to a lfoot controlled switch whereby the electric current from a source of electric supply may he directed to either of said signal members et the will of the operator. Y

lllie primar Y object of the invention is to provide an. electric signal switch of this character that may he readily disposed within an opening of the licor hoard of the Inachine, in order that the saine may he controlled by the loot of the operator of the machine, without requiring the removal of the hands troni the steering Wheel, which is now generally essential in the actuation of signal switches with which l sin familiar.

vliablevto become readily ont of order, the

sinne comprising hut `ievv parte, and these correlated in such a n'ianner vas to reduce the possibility of diserrsngement to a minimum.

1ifvrith the foregoing and other ohjects in View as the nature oi the invention will loe hetter understood.j the same comprises the novel forni, combination and arrangement of parte hereinafter incre fully de sci'filied, shown in the accompanying drawing 'and claimed. l

The drawing indicates like reference eheracters and corresponding parts throughout `Figure l is e top plan view of an electric vehicle signal switch, constructed in accordance with the present invention, and

Figure 2 is a detail vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof, this view also disclosing the wiring diagonal between said switch, the source of electric current and the signal elements of the vehicle direction indicator with which said switch is to be employed.

Now, having particular reference to the drawing, 5 designates the foot board oi' a motor vehicle, that in this instance is provided with s rectangular shaped opening 6 et any desirable point thereon, and preferably et a point between the accelerator of the vehicle and the breite pedal thereof.

My novel switch per se, constitutes the provision of an open upper sided rectangular shaped metallici casing 7, that is adapted to he positioned Withiny the opening of the floor hoard 5 in a manner es'clearly .indicated in Figure 2. The upper open side of this casing 7 is formed with. an inwardly extending iange 8, to which is secured through the medium of set screws or the like 9 e cover plete 10 of relatively greater lengt-h and width than said casing 7. Adjacent the Jr'onr corners of this cover plate 10, the same is provided with counter-sunk openings for permitting the casing to be rigidly secured Within the opening of the licor board through the medium of wood screws il,

The bottoni well of the casing 7 is provided with three spaced cgi'enings l2, coaxial with "which are hollow bosses 13, formed upon the inner surface of the bottoni vvall of said casing 7.

, Disposed within the endmost openings as well as their associated bosses 13 are sleeves lil of dielectric material, that are flanged upon their inner ends for preventing the downward movement of the sleeves within said bosses. Positioned within said sleeves ld are posts l5, that are also headed upon their inner ends and lscrew threaded upon their- .oiter ends for receiving binding nuts 16 and l Disposed within the central opening el the bottoni wall of said casing 7 as well es its coaxial boss is a sleevea ll of dielectric material,that issuhstantiaflly similar to the sleeves ifi- 14 'shone described. The upper end-of this dielectric sleeve isi-also headed for engagement upon .the upper end ofthe box 13, and inythis instence, saidl head is formed with 'an' angular sheped socket for receiving the angular shaped head i9 of e, post 20, that is positioned within seid dielectric 'sleevei 'The lower e'nd ci this postZO is likewise threaded fer: receiving 'binding nuts 2l and 22..

rJfhe head 19 of the lestinentioned post 2O is provided with npst-anding spaced ears 23, between which are pivoted the inner ends of a pair or" oppositely extendingv upwardly directed metalic arms 2li- 24. The-sdjs cent ends of these arms are so formed as to provide a cup 25, for receiving the dielectric heed or button 26. formed upon the lower end ci e pin 27. The upper end of tine mit " i'anderside of a ois siideijg" die'poeeci Wiom e Socket oli-med Wiuhin the iorfef of e pin 29 i arge oroee #sectional mee, 'flie, miele ihzoiigii ooiered opening; :iiy of the easing @over plate Li. 'e inner mii of the ooiler of ogen o ooi-ved es eriowe .in Figure 2 foy of e. rocking movement Selci pm 29, which pin is formed .integrally upon me 5 actuated bei: El, im milled at 32 intermedi; its ends, :mai upon its top side for preventing slipping of die :fooi thermo The opposie ende o" thie foot bei' are curved upwardly ai, 2352 'ier prevent im; ehe accidental disengagement of Hoe foot from seid oer when thefoot is peoeii thereon in an emergency. f

'he Eooil bei' 3l is normally meinteineci im upweidiy extending; position es shown in igere t3 through iie medium of a ooiied spying 33 ibut sui-Younis ehe pin 27' between the head or button 26, and the pie earned by sabio. foot bei' Si. For poventing "gi-ie otzd disengagement of the fooi, ber carried from the ooliei'ed opening of ziie ooeing cover piete 10, Seid pin 29 is 'ofmed edjeee'nt its inne? emi with e stop flange The 2li- 2% above described are maintained in the opwefiy eeenolingg posion shown in F Life 2, *iirougii die medium of etaefiie springs 35, there ere michoed et theii' opposie ends to sei bers, und to tile iange 8 fesoeotiveiy of he easing 75 eed m iniiis instance, it Wii. oe ,fooi-ed that an insueed connection 36 is provided between' the owei' ends o seid spiiigs @mei seid Mms,

The here S34.- ere provided adjacent their ouer ends with commet buttons 37 'that we miepteci to engage the heads of the posts 12 when' seii bays ere moved in e dowmmrc dii" eti-on upon thei poinfs of pivozei connesiaion io -iie post 2G.

Extending tbougl moliere@ opeoinis 38 iozmef ecijeoent the opposite o CoH/"eff piete l@ ere penden pies 399 formed adjacent the opposie ends of the foot bei: 31 extei'icing downwardly t'hough seid eoiiere openings imo the oas- 7. The owe ends of these pins efe formed with screw threaded sockets 4f() for' eeeiving the thieeded stems 4i ofrbuons of dieieeio mateiiei thai; normally engege the eontaos Si of seid bine 24. The eo'iiars of he openings in the casing coverfpine :we also formed with rounded inner edges for eiiowingof a i'oeking movement of 'the pins 39 therein.

The direction indicator "with which kho preseni swieh is shown es i'ieiiig aesooiee, eonsituief: a pair oi? indicating imno boxes designaed A and B reepeotiveiy'. The gelb emi emstiucion of iiiese amp boxes is Weil known, and a deteiied description thereof is not necessary, it oniy being; ieeessmy to set forti; ghen eeeii off' seid signal boxes :is

equipped. wieh an eiec'iz'io iemvge i instance., seifi eieeie lampo ere oesiglzeed i'es .)eotiveiy a en@ lweirtain oermizmis o eieorio ere gounled io he machine from@ e; c? Whifie the remaining e'minfi o1 'he lomp is eieoti'ioeiiy connected as et (l to the lem; hemd posi;- 12 of the swich. The othez' iez' minai of die electric iamp 2'; is simiiariy eleotrieeliy connected es at e Wih the fight hond posi; l0 of the switch. rEhe oenti'ei post 2G of this swioh is electrically connect ed et f to one post of :the usuel veiiicie stoybettery g, whiieihe other posi, of Seid stomge becezy ie grounded io zhe mechine freine et in lit. Wiii time 4be apparent that preiminafy "ao making; wright hand tui-n of the Vehicle, the d'iive theeof will epi'ese the right 'hand end of he foot bei 31 through the medium of his foot, which depression of l'ie foot ber wiii. manifestly oonrol e downwed swinging movement o die right hand bar 24 Within'the Switch easing for engaging; ite Contact iwih the righi; hand, posi', 1:), for obviously oompieting the Cifuit fzom ihe batteijy through the l'igh hand post 12, theme through fiile eeotric lamp i5, thiough the "frame o1 the machine, enti thence bock to the other pole of the battery g. Simiio'ly, i'he Circuit oe compieted fio the bulb l oi: the signal boi; 5i when the left hand end of the foot bar .is depressed Furher cietaiis of operation as weil mimezous advantages of e switch of this character Wiil be at once appreciated by those skiiied in the art, nod even though have herein shown and described die most practical emioodimeuiJ of the invention with which am. et his time femiiiaf, .it is never iie'iess to iie understood i/hat minor changes may be mede ther-ein, Without depei'ingg from the spirit and scope of the appended cieims- Having "aims I oieim .es new and desire to secue by Lettere Patent, is:

L fn Swiioh of the ohemcter deeoiiiiei. en open sided casing, e @over plate for the @peli side of said casing, a binding post disposed cenreiiy Within said casing, a. peil.' of biiciing posts extending 'Within said easing ufoon the opposite sides of seid Vfirst meniionod binding posi', n pair,- o' bars pivoaiiy secured at their inner ends: o seid first menioned binding post, means foi normeliy maintaining said 'bars away from said pair of biniln'g posts, :md means; sziidabiy connected to said @over pieta :md amending outwardly izeeoi for eeieetiveiy moving" the oom-(Lets oi' :will pivotoii Imis info engagement. with said pair of binding posts;

in e swilch of tiie eimi'aeei described. en open siced eesinge @over piae'or the open sideof seid easing? blinding posi; Clisdescribeci my invenion,

` y)pendent pin disposed for rocking movement tioned binding en open. sided cesing, e. cover' disposed centrally Within seid casing., e peii' mene with said pair of binding posts,

neeeeei posed centrally vvitiiin seid easing, e-peii sind othenpins adjacent the opposite ends ci binding postsentending within said casing of said foot ber disposed for rocking moveiinon the opposite sides of said @rst ioned binding post, e pair oi oai-s pivoially ends of seid cover plate for engagement with secured et their inner ends to seid i'st ineiiseid bers pivotelly disposed within' seid cespost, means for normally ing, sind automatic means for maintaining inninteining seid bers evvny from seid peii seid footbar in an elevated position. ci binding posts,l ineens siidaioiy connected 4. 1n o switch of the chsractei' described, to seid coveii plete end extending outwei'dly an open sided casing, cover 1ste for the thereof for selectively moving the contects ogn side of said casing, n -bin ing post disinenment Within openings adjacent the opposite ofi seid civeed here into engagement with po centrally wi .seid casing, e pair i seid peii' oi binding posts, seid menne coinof binding posts extending withinseid cesniising,1 s foot imi' formed with e pendent pin ing i isposed for cooking movement within e, centi'el opening in seid cosing cove?, sind pivotally secured at their inner ends to seid other ins edjecent tile opposite ende of seid irst mentioned binding ost,- means for norioot ei' disposed for iocking mevemeni; maily maintaining sai ars awey'froin seid within openings edjecent the-opposiiie ende .pair of binding poste7 means slidably conci seid cover plete foi: engagement with seid nected to seid cover plete and extending outloeifs pivotellv disposed Within seid ciisi. wai'diy thereof :for selectively moving the 3. in e switch of the character of-f upon the o posite sides of seid :'iirst mentioned bin g post, e pnii.' of bers plaie foithe nient with said pair of binding posts, seid binding 'post ineens comprising a lfoot bar 'oi'med with e pendent pin disposed for rocking movement within a central opening in said casing open side of seid casing, e

oi biifidingg7 oste entendin Within seid cesing iii-pon t. .e opposite sides of seid first oovei7 and other pins adjacent the' kopposite mentioned binding post, a pair of bais ivotends of said foot bai' disposed for rocking :illy secured st their innei` ends to sai first movement within openings adjant the opmentioned binding post, means for normalposite ends ofsaid cover late for eingegeiv maintaining seid bars ewey from seid ment with seid bers pivote 1y disposed Withpeii of binding posts, ineens slidebly conin said casing, automatic means for ineiniiected to seid covei` plete and extending outtninng said oot bei' in en eleveted posi- Wei'dly thereof fonselectively moving the tion, and means for 'reventing the total dis- =-ontacts of said pivoted bers into engegeengagement of the einem' ing pins from seid the openings in' seid switc casing cover ineens comprising e foot bei' formed with e, plete.

In testimonywhereof I sx in si stufe. v HERBERT vT. gn

OLTQN.

within e central opening in seid casing cover,

contacts of seid pivoted bars into engage- 

